2021 STAAR Grade 5 Science

Content accessed from https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/testing/staar/staar-released-test-questions
Copyright information provided below.
All content on this site is copyrighted by the Texas Education Agency and cannot be used without the express written permission of TEA, except under the following conditions:
Texas public school districts, charter schools, and education service centers can copy materials for district and school educational use.
Residents of the state of Texas can copy materials for personal use.
Do not alter or make partial copies of web content. Do not charge for the reproduced materials or any document containing them except to cover the cost of reproduction and distribution.
If you are in Texas but are not an employee of a Texas public school district or charter school, you must get written approval from TEA to copy materials and enter into a license agreement that may involve paying a licensing fee or a royalty fee.
For more information, email Copyrights@tea.texas.gov.

1.

A student recorded the time it took for all the water in a puddle on a sidewalk to evaporate after a rain. Which kind of energy causes water to evaporate?

SCI.5.4a

SCI.5.6a

2.

Earth continuously rotates on its axis while also moving in an orbit. About how much time does it take for Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis?

SCI.5.8c

3.

For a class demonstration a student turned off the lights in the classroom. The student then shined light from a flashlight through a hole in a piece of cardboard. The class saw the narrow beam of light continue until another student placed a mirror in the light’s path.

The light did not continue past the mirror because —

SCI.5.3a

SCI.5.6c

A table of different properties of four samples of matter is shown.

4.

Which conclusion can be made about the samples based on the table?

SCI.5.2d

SCI.5.5a

A wagon is pushed and begins to move. As the wagon moves, it slows and comes to a stop. The wagon and the direction it is pushed are shown.

5.

What force causes the wagon to stop?

3.6B

SCI.5.2d

6.

Students made a chart classifying animal behaviors.

Which animal behavior is NOT correctly classified?

SCI.5.10b

7.

Canyons and mesas are two landforms found in the western part of the United States.
Which statement best describes how canyons and mesas are similar?

SCI.5.7b

A student wants to make a change to the circuit shown below so that when Switch 1 is open and Switch 2 is closed, only one light will be on in the circuit.

8.

Which diagram shows how the student should change the circuit?

SCI.5.6b

SCI.5.2d

9.

Students researching the relationships between some organisms in the Lavaca Bay ecosystem in Texas made this partial food web.

Which of these lists contains only organisms that receive some of their energy directly from other organisms that produce their own food?

SCI.5.9b

SCI.5.2d

10.

A science class is observing a pet turtle in a small plastic pool. The students turn on a portable camping lamp that is clamped on to a counter next to the pool.

Which kind of energy is used by the portable lamp to produce light?

SCI.5.6a

11.

Students observe a glass of ice and water. The glass is dry on the outside. After ten minutes students see drops of water on the outside of the glass.

Which statement best explains the students’ observations?

3.5C

Students chose objects to model the relative sizes of Earth and the moon.

12.

Which set of objects best compares the sizes of Earth and the moon?

SCI.5.8d

SCI.5.3b

13.

A dinosaur fossil is shown.

Which question can scientists most likely answer from studying the fossil of the dinosaur?

SCI.5.9d

SCI.5.2b

14.

In the early 1600s, the astronomer Galileo used a telescope to make observations of Mercury and Venus. What are the positions of these planets in relation to the sun?

3.8D

SCI.5.3c

This chart describes some beak and toe adaptations that help four bird species survive in different habitats.

15.

Based on these adaptations, which table best matches the bird species to its environment?

SCI.5.10a

SCI.5.2d

16.

A student compares the physical properties of the four objects shown.

Which of these physical properties do all four objects have in common?

SCI.5.5a

17.

Students observe these diagrams showing the life cycles of an oak tree and a lady beetle.

Which inference can be made by comparing these diagrams?

3.10B

SCI.5.2d

18.

Which process will happen when the sun interacts with the ocean?

SCI.5.8b

19.

A partial desert food web is shown.

Which food chain shows one complete pathway in which energy flows through this food web?

SCI.5.9b

SCI.5.3b

20.

A student constructs the circuit shown for a science demonstration.

With the switches in these positions, which lights are on?

SCI.5.6b

SCI.5.2d

21.

A student prepared a snack that consisted of grapes, pecans, and strawberries sprinkled with white powdered sugar. The student stored the snack in a refrigerator. An hour later the student observed that the powdered sugar could no longer be seen but the fruit and nuts had not changed in appearance.

What most likely happened to the sugar in the mixture?

SCI.5.2f

SCI.5.5c

22.

The chart lists plants and animals interacting with parts of an environment.

Which statements describe an animal interacting with a living part of the environment?

SCI.5.9a

23.

A student drew the following pictures to show the day-night cycle of Earth.

Based on the pictures, how many hours should the student record on the nighttime picture to complete a day-night cycle?

SCI.5.8c

A student uses a flashlight to shine a beam of light on three different objects.

24.

Which table describes what happens to the light beam as it interacts with each object?

SCI.5.6c

SCI.5.2g

25.

White oak trees grow to be 24 to 30 meters tall. Their long branches are covered with leaves, and their roots reach deep into the soil to hold the tree in place. White oaks drop their leaves during the winter months.

In which ecosystem would forests of white oak trees be most likely to survive?

3.9A

SCI.5.2d

26.

A three-step process is shown.

Which of these are most likely formed by the process shown?

SCI.5.7a

27.

A group of students is given four small cubes of the same size and instructed to place them in a beaker of water. One cube floats to the surface of the water. Two of the cubes float in the middle of the beaker under the surface of the water. The last cube sinks to the bottom of the beaker.

Which conclusion is best supported by what the students observed?

SCI.5.2d

SCI.5.5a

28.

Which effect would most likely occur if a six-lane highway were built through an ecosystem?

SCI.5.9c

29.

Students investigate force. The masses they use begin at rest on the ramp. The setup the students use is shown.

Which change will reduce the amount of force needed to move the masses?

SCI.5.2a

SCI.5.6d

30.

Students record characteristics of a tomato plant. One student’s list is shown.

Which tomato plant characteristic is least likely to be inherited?

SCI.5.10b

Students list resources that are used to heat buildings.

31.

Which of these tables correctly classifies the resources?

SCI.4.7c

32.

A student mixes a sample of stones with a sample of table salt. The mass and volume of the samples were determined before mixing the samples. The mass and volume of each sample is shown.

Which statement is true about the mixture?

SCI.5.5b

SCI.5.2d

33.

A student’s model of a closed ecosystem is shown. The student plans to add land snails to the model in order to show how the snails interact with different parts of the ecosystem.

What should the student add to the model so that the snails will survive?

SCI.5.9a

SCI.5.2d

34.

Deltas are large landforms found along coastlines. What process forms deltas?

SCI.5.7b

35.

The raccoon can be found in most areas of Texas. The coati has a smaller territory and is found from Big Bend to Brownsville. These two species are related. The chart shows the characteristics of these two species.

Which statement does NOT describe how the body structures of these animals help them escape predators?

SCI.5.10a

SCI.5.2d

36.

Sediments are transported at different speeds. Which type of sediment transport is the slowest?

SCI.5.7a

A student recorded the time it took for all the water in a puddle on a sidewalk to evaporate after a rain. Which kind of energy causes water to evaporate?

Earth continuously rotates on its axis while also moving in an orbit. About how much time does it take for Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis?

Which conclusion can be made about the samples based on the table?

What force causes the wagon to stop?

Students made a chart classifying animal behaviors.Which animal behavior is NOT correctly classified?

Canyons and mesas are two landforms found in the western part of the United States. Which statement best describes how canyons and mesas are similar?

Which diagram shows how the student should change the circuit?

Students researching the relationships between some organisms in the Lavaca Bay ecosystem in Texas made this partial food web.Which of these lists contains only organisms that receive some of their energy directly from other organisms that produce their own food?

A science class is observing a pet turtle in a small plastic pool. The students turn on a portable camping lamp that is clamped on to a counter next to the pool. Which kind of energy is used by the portable lamp to produce light?

Students observe a glass of ice and water. The glass is dry on the outside. After ten minutes students see drops of water on the outside of the glass. Which statement best explains the students’ observations?

Which set of objects best compares the sizes of Earth and the moon?

A dinosaur fossil is shown.Which question can scientists most likely answer from studying the fossil of the dinosaur?

In the early 1600s, the astronomer Galileo used a telescope to make observations of Mercury and Venus. What are the positions of these planets in relation to the sun?

Based on these adaptations, which table best matches the bird species to its environment?

A student compares the physical properties of the four objects shown.Which of these physical properties do all four objects have in common?

Students observe these diagrams showing the life cycles of an oak tree and a lady beetle.Which inference can be made by comparing these diagrams?

Which process will happen when the sun interacts with the ocean?

A partial desert food web is shown.Which food chain shows one complete pathway in which energy flows through this food web?

A student constructs the circuit shown for a science demonstration.With the switches in these positions, which lights are on?

The chart lists plants and animals interacting with parts of an environment.Which statements describe an animal interacting with a living part of the environment?

A student drew the following pictures to show the day-night cycle of Earth.Based on the pictures, how many hours should the student record on the nighttime picture to complete a day-night cycle?

Which table describes what happens to the light beam as it interacts with each object?

White oak trees grow to be 24 to 30 meters tall. Their long branches are covered with leaves, and their roots reach deep into the soil to hold the tree in place. White oaks drop their leaves during the winter months.In which ecosystem would forests of white oak trees be most likely to survive?

A three-step process is shown.Which of these are most likely formed by the process shown?

Which effect would most likely occur if a six-lane highway were built through an ecosystem?

Students investigate force. The masses they use begin at rest on the ramp. The setup the students use is shown.Which change will reduce the amount of force needed to move the masses?

Students record characteristics of a tomato plant. One student’s list is shown.Which tomato plant characteristic is least likely to be inherited?

Which of these tables correctly classifies the resources?

A student mixes a sample of stones with a sample of table salt. The mass and volume of the samples were determined before mixing the samples. The mass and volume of each sample is shown.Which statement is true about the mixture?

A student’s model of a closed ecosystem is shown. The student plans to add land snails to the model in order to show how the snails interact with different parts of the ecosystem.What should the student add to the model so that the snails will survive?

Deltas are large landforms found along coastlines. What process forms deltas?

Sediments are transported at different speeds. Which type of sediment transport is the slowest?

Students made a chart classifying animal behaviors.

Which animal behavior is NOT correctly classified?

Canyons and mesas are two landforms found in the western part of the United States.
Which statement best describes how canyons and mesas are similar?

Students researching the relationships between some organisms in the Lavaca Bay ecosystem in Texas made this partial food web.

Which of these lists contains only organisms that receive some of their energy directly from other organisms that produce their own food?

A science class is observing a pet turtle in a small plastic pool. The students turn on a portable camping lamp that is clamped on to a counter next to the pool.

Which kind of energy is used by the portable lamp to produce light?

Students observe a glass of ice and water. The glass is dry on the outside. After ten minutes students see drops of water on the outside of the glass.

Which statement best explains the students’ observations?

A dinosaur fossil is shown.

Which question can scientists most likely answer from studying the fossil of the dinosaur?

A student compares the physical properties of the four objects shown.

Which of these physical properties do all four objects have in common?

Students observe these diagrams showing the life cycles of an oak tree and a lady beetle.

Which inference can be made by comparing these diagrams?

A partial desert food web is shown.

Which food chain shows one complete pathway in which energy flows through this food web?

A student constructs the circuit shown for a science demonstration.

With the switches in these positions, which lights are on?

The chart lists plants and animals interacting with parts of an environment.

Which statements describe an animal interacting with a living part of the environment?

A student drew the following pictures to show the day-night cycle of Earth.

Based on the pictures, how many hours should the student record on the nighttime picture to complete a day-night cycle?

White oak trees grow to be 24 to 30 meters tall. Their long branches are covered with leaves, and their roots reach deep into the soil to hold the tree in place. White oaks drop their leaves during the winter months.

In which ecosystem would forests of white oak trees be most likely to survive?

A three-step process is shown.

Which of these are most likely formed by the process shown?

Students investigate force. The masses they use begin at rest on the ramp. The setup the students use is shown.

Which change will reduce the amount of force needed to move the masses?

Students record characteristics of a tomato plant. One student’s list is shown.

Which tomato plant characteristic is least likely to be inherited?

A student mixes a sample of stones with a sample of table salt. The mass and volume of the samples were determined before mixing the samples. The mass and volume of each sample is shown.

Which statement is true about the mixture?

A student’s model of a closed ecosystem is shown. The student plans to add land snails to the model in order to show how the snails interact with different parts of the ecosystem.

What should the student add to the model so that the snails will survive?